A New Hope
by LuckyxLabradoodlexLoverx7
Summary: AU: Before Elizabeth and Edward can have children, Elizabeth dies of the plague. A year after she dies, Edward is off hunting and meets lovely Juliet, who is harboring some secrets. Rated T because I'm paranoid. One-Shot. MY FIRST THE WHITE QUEEN STORY, SO BE NICE, PLEASE.


Disclaimer – I own nothing of The White Queen. It belongs to the wonderful Phillipa Gregory. I also don't own Romeo and Juliet – it belongs to William Shakespeare. I do own my original characters and the plot. 'Nuff said.

A/N: I was watching the pilot episode of the TV miniseries The White Queen and got this idea. MY FIRST THE WHITE QUEEN STORY, SO BE NICE, PLEASE!

Summary: AU: Before Elizabeth and Edward can have children, Elizabeth dies of the plague. A year after she dies, Edward is off hunting and meets lovely Juliet, who is harboring some secrets. Rated T because I'm paranoid. One-Shot. MY FIRST THE WHITE QUEEN STORY, SO BE NICE, PLEASE.

Genre: Romance/Hurt/Comfort

Rating: T

* * *

The sun beat down on Edward and Elizabeth as they made love in a meadow just outside the kingdom. Edward was on top of Elizabeth, looking into her kind eyes.

They had been married for not even an hour and were more in love than they were when they first met.

Sadly, in the summer, Elizabeth died from the plague. She took her last breath and passed in Edward's arms.

He wailed and cried, swearing never to fall in love again.

_A year later_

"Edward, come hunting with us. It will do you good to get out." Richard told his brother. He, Edward and George were in Edward's study, going over battle plans.

"Not today – there is far too much to do." Edward replied.

With much convincing, Edward left his battle plans and followed his brothers to the stables. Richard and George had the stable hands prepare their horses, while Edward took time finding the right mount. He finally settled on a gentle gray mare named Heaven.

The three of them mounted their horses and urged them into a gallop, racing towards the woods.

The brothers decided to go separately towards the fox hole that they had targeted, knowing that would scare the fox.

Edward's gaze moved to the wildflower field not too far away. He saw a young maiden picking flowers and heard her singing. He felt his heart soar when the young maiden looked towards him.

She had long dark brown hair that reached the middle of her back and had kind brown eyes. She had an angelic face and looked to be nineteen, a year younger than Edward.

"EDWARD!" George called from somewhere off in the distance, startling Edward out of his daze.

"WHAT IS IT?" Edward called, not looking away from this girl. She slowly stood and Edward frowned, seeing a bulge in her gown – she was pregnant.

"YOU MISSED THE BLOODY FOX! HOW COULD YOU BE SO-" Richard stopped his ranting when he saw Edward staring at the girl in the wildflower fields. "You know who that is, don't you?"

"Don't know. Don't really care." Edward replied, dismounting his horse and handed the reins to Richard. Edward slowly walked over to the girl, not wanting to startle her.

She took one step backwards trying to curtsey and landed awkwardly on her ankle. Edward ran over and looked down at the maiden.

"Are you all right?" Edward inquired, looking into the girl's kind brown eyes. She shied away, avoiding her gaze.

"I'm fine, Your Grace." The girl spoke with a voice of a thousand angels singing.

"I'm going to try and set your ankle. It'll be all right." Edward soothed the maiden, trying to set her ankle. She let out a scream of pain and Edward wrapped his cloak around her shoulders. He then gathered her in his arms and set her upon his horse.

"Edward, what the bloody hell are you doing?" George inquired, watching Edward carry a girl in his arms.

"Taking her to the castle. She's hurt," Edward told his brother, taking Heaven's reins and led her towards the castle. He then turned to the maiden, "how are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling better, thank you." The girl told Edward.

"I would feel better knowing your name." Edward told the beauty.

"Juliet Waterhouse." The girl – Juliet – told Edward.

"Juliet – beautiful." Edward told her, kissing her hand. She blushed and looked away.

"I was named after the character of Juliet Capulet in the play Romeo and Juliet." Juliet told Edward as she watched him carry her to a private room at the back of the castle.

"I was named after a king." Edward told her, placing her under the blankets and smiled at her.

The two of them talked as the palace doctor set Juliet's ankle. Edward frowned at knowing that Juliet had no living family – her father, husband and four brothers were killed in battle and her mother died when Juliet was two minutes old. Juliet had no sisters.

"How far along are you in your pregnancy?" Edward questioned.

"I have two months to go." Juliet told him, placing his hands on her bulging stomach. Edward smiled and laughed when the babe kicked his hand.

Juliet was bedridden for the rest of her pregnancy – her ankle needed to heal and she was starting to have horrible stomachaches. Edward was by her side when he could be – the rest of the time, he was with his brothers, going over battle plans and things for the kingdom.

When Juliet was well enough, she and Edward were married. Edward was more in love with her than he had ever been since meeting her. Juliet felt the same way about Edward – he was so kind to her and made her feel important.

Shortly after they were wed, Edward taught Juliet how to read, since the poor girl had never learned how.

"We'll start with one of my favorites – _Romeo and Juliet _by William Shakespeare," Edward told Juliet, smiling at her in the fire's glow. He opened the book and sat next to Juliet, wrapping an arm around her waist. "Start there."

"T-two ho-households beth?" Juliet read. Edward shook his head.

"Both, dearest. Read it from the beginning." Edward told Juliet. She nodded and brushed her dark hair out of her face.

"Two households both alive?"

Edward shook his head and had her start over.

"Two households both a-alike in d-dignity in fa-fair Ve-Verona…" Juliet read, feeling her eyes grow heavy. Edward closed the book and brought her to him. She rested her head on his shoulder, happy to have him in her life. Edward kissed her temple and rested his hands on her stomach, anxious to meet the little prince or princess in a short while.

_Two months later_

Juliet was in bed, screaming her head off. The midwife was there, helping her deliver her babe. Edward was away, but was returning shortly.

Juliet had been in labor for what seemed like forever, but according to the midwife, had been for only twelve hours.

Edward arrived just as the baby's head was appearing. He kissed Juliet's head and squeezed her hand, encouraging her.

A moment later, the baby was out. Loud piercing crying filled the air as the baby's cord was cut. The babe was then cleaned and wrapped in a blanket.

"You have a girl. Congratulations." The midwife told Edward and Juliet. Juliet smiled as her baby nursed for the first time.

"She's so beautiful." Edward whispered, tears streaming down his cheeks. He didn't care that Juliet didn't have a son – he would love this little girl with all the love he could give her.

"What shall we name her?" Juliet whispered.

"What about Mary Elizabeth?" Edward suggested. Juliet nodded and watched Mary sleeping in Edward's arms.

A year after Mary was born, Edward and Juliet welcomed a son – Edward Richard. Edward had almost lost Juliet, but he was glad he didn't.

The two of them decided that two children was enough for them.

One night, Edward was away and Juliet was alone when she heard someone enter her room. She put her book down and saw George appear. She felt her blood run cold as he moved towards her.

"If you know what is good for you," he started, getting in the bed, "you will leave Edward and the children."

"No – I will not do such a thing!" Juliet told him, smelling mead on his breath. "You are married to Isobel, so go to her!"

She kicked him out of the bed and went to find her children. She hugged them and they hugged her back.

Edward returned a few days later. Juliet was so happy to see him. The two of them kissed each other, Edward leading her to the bedroom.

One thing led to another and Juliet discovered she was pregnant. At the end of her pregnancy, she delivered two babies – a prince and a princess.

They named the little girl Jane and the little boy Roland. Mary and Edward loved their new siblings. Mary was now five and Edward was three. Mary looked like Edward and Edward looked like Juliet.

Juliet cried when both her sons were sent away to live in a castle near Wales. A friend of Edward's, Margaret and her husband promised to take good care of the boys.

"We'll see them again, dearest." Edward soothed Juliet. She knew deep down that they were doing the right thing.

Edward and Juliet lived to see their children marry and have children of their own.

Now, it was time for Edward and Juliet to enter the next world. Edward held Juliet as she took her last breath and passed away. He cried and buried his face in her chest. He wasn't upset for long – he knew he would see her in the next world.

He was right – Juliet was standing in front of him. Her newest edition was angel wings and a halo. He smiled and walked over to her, happy to see her again.

A glooming peace this morning with it brings;  
The sun, for sorrow, will not show his head.  
Go hence, to have more talk of these sad things;  
Some shall be pardoned, and some punished.  
For never was a story of more woe  
Than this of Juliet and her Romeo (aka Edward).


End file.
